Try Not To Let It Get To Your Head

Astute observers of the Wiffle game will note a number of similarities between this game and another popular pastime: Base Ball. Both, for instance, are played in the United States of America. A keener eye will note that both involve small spheres called "balls" and thin cylindrical "bats." Finally, Spalding (2006) published an eloquent piece spotlighting the fact that they are both invariably associated with Ale, tattoos and expectorating. 


With me so far?


One can see they they are the same, really, but just vary in degree. Wiffle is played before small crowds in niche venues. Base ball is played in front of tens of thousands of fans in stadia that do not allow for any meaningful interaction with the athletes.


And now to my point: in each wiffle at-bat many things are possible; in each base ball at-bat many many things are possible. And in both games, most of the possible things .. are bad. Think about it. There are four kinds of hits and six ways to be put out. It has to be that way; if outs were hard to come by the first Wiffle game would still be going on.


So a Wiffler must not dwell on the last game, the last inning-pitched or the last at-bat. Did you ground into a double play with the bases loaded last week? Forget it. Did you go 18-for-31 in your last two games? Put it out of your mind. Strike out the side did you? That was then, this is now.


You are in this at-bat, in this inning, in THIS game.


In today's play, some players put early strikeouts aside and assembled a nice string of ABs. Others dwelt in deepening pits of gloom through much of the game. Some were throwing bats in the second inning.


Home standing Dave E., Kurt and Brent hosted Pete, Stats and rookie of the year candidate Kevin "Kid" Campbell in a six inning affair in perfect weather. Kurt and Dave lived up to their pitching reputations, combining on four scoreless innings, but neither really got the bats going. When they weren't pitching, the Visitors were putting together three-run innings against Brent.


Kid Campbell capped off the scoring with a 2-out, bases-loaded triple in the fifth, filling out the 6-0 final score. A nice start to his Wiff career Kevin C. went 5-for-11 (including a 2B and a 3B) and 3 rbi. But, don't let it get to your head. Next week is a whole 'nuther game.


Pete, Matt, Kevin C. - 6 runs, 16 hits
Brent, Dave E., Kurt - 0 runs, 5 hits


W: Lindsay
L: Mackintosh


HR: none (when does Glen come back?)

Let it go. Just let it go.